Jo Katsiaris presents a beautiful exhibition made from the discarded. Earlier this year we presented Newcastle’s Ken O’Regan with his stunning works combining found object assemblage with a strong environmental theme, Katsiaris’s work is thematically similar but vastly different. These pieces are beautifully simple in their construction and upon reflection speak to us deeply about the huge complexities we face going into the future. The act of making art from unwanted material in order to illustrate the huge amount of resources, that we as humans waste is a noble act.

“Sacked” the feature piece, consists of fifteen jute coffee sacks found upon the streets of Sydney and paint found in a skip outside a building site. mixing oxide into the paint and by varying the amount of oxide on each panel, Katsiaris has produced something extraordinary. Viewing the work with the morning sun streaming into the gallery, it is as if there are huge blocks of sandstone suspended in space. There are several other small works in the show made from offcuts of timber, sawdust, glue, cardboard and paint assembled in highly considered composition, a simplicity that is one of the hardest things to accomplish as an artist.

Influenced by the radical Italian art movement “Arte Povera” of the 1960’s who’s artists expounded the use of non traditional art materials such as rocks, twigs and rags and the alarming state of the environment as we forge full steam ahead into the 21st century. Jo Katsiaris presents WASTELANDS, a glimpse into a brighter future where we re-use, all that is waste is not.

Dungog Contemporary is an Art Money partnered gallery. WASTELANDS is on until Sunday, November 18.

Dungog Contemporary invite you to join us in the acknowledgement of the Traditional Owners of this Country the gallery exists on. We pay our respects to the Gringai People of the Worimi and Wonnarua Nations, their Elders past, present and emerging.